Carton opener



Dec. 15, 1931. E H, DRYER 1,836,228

CARTON OPENER Filed July '7, 1950 I INVENTOR.

EDWIN J-l. DRYER ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15,1931

UNITED STA mm m: 1mm or am nmeo. assmnoa m w.

' mmo, vcannromma TES; PATENT OFFICE I anemones! Application. fled -July 7,

This invention relates to carton ope means applicable'to cartons so construote that the ortion of the carton to be opened up in or er to render its contents accessible 3) may have a definite part thereof torn away to make an opening of the desired size and shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved manually operable tearing io'j element which may not only be operated to open the carton, but which 1s also furnished with improved means for rupturing a seal or revenue stamp when the device is applied to a carton or package having a seal or reve- 1'5? nue stamp thereon.

A further object is'to provide a tearing element that directs the tearin force in an improved manner to the area to e torn away so that that portion of the carton wall, and

D that portion only, is removed by the tearing operation.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention, may hereinafter appear.

. Referring to the accompanylng drawings, 26 which illustrate what is at present deemed to be apreferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton embodying the invention, showing said carton in the unopened condition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of said carton showing the same after having been opened.

' Figure 3 is a view showing in extended form the three layers of tissue of which. the I walls of the carton or container are composed, the inside layer being uppermost in the view.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the invention is illustrated by way of example, as applied to a cigarette carton 5, composed of paper laminae having an outer layer 6 of relatively heavy paper, a middle layer 7, preferably of tinfoil or like tissue impervious to moisture, and an inside layer 8 of relatively thin paper.

These three layers which ordinarily compose the package may be cohered together in the usual manner, or the laminae may be gummed or otherwise cohered along the line 1930. Serial No. 465,808.

of cleavage. In Fig. 3 the dot-and-dash lines 10, 11, 12 and 13 designate the lines of flexure, and 15, 16 and 17 designate the perforations of the line which separates the area to be torn away from ,the remainder of the package to form the desired opening.

At the end of the package to be opened the two inner layers 7 and 8 are overlapped at 21 in the usual manner, the revenue stamp 22 constituting a fragile seal which extends .across the top of the package and a short distance down each side thereof.

The tearing element 25, to which the invention more particularly pertains, consists of a strip of tenacious material, such as cloth which it forms a part, and it has a beveled edge portion 29 to strengthen its union with the body portion of strip 25.

As has already been stated, at the end of the container which is designed to be opened, the three-ply wrapper thereof has overlapping end portions made from its two inner layers across which the seal 22 extends. The outer layer 6 terminates at the upper side edge .of the package being cut to the proper width for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 3.

. The extension 26 of the tearing strip ot only imderlies said seal but also under es one of said overlapping wrapper ends, said extension overlying the other end of the wrapper. The body portion of the tearing strip is slightly spaced away from the seal and along this space the three layers of the wrapper are weakened by means of the perforations 15; 16 and 17 The tearing strip 25 is adhered to the inner surface of the inside wrapper layer 8 in such a position that the inner end of said strip is located close to the perforated line 16, the

edge 28a'of the strip lyin line 12 and its diagonal e go 29 being pom tioned to strengthen the corner portion of the folded acka 'in such a manner as to direct properl the e, of cleavage at the corner of the pa age where the turn thereof takes lacefi The bfis et portion or lateralextension 28 of the tearing el ment being provided with 10 the diagonal cutas indicate 'at29 forms in conjunction with a side ed of'the tearing strip an obtuse angle, as own'in Fig. 1.

This enables the dorner of the package to be said; overlappin ends, and a tearing str1p folded without any portion of the ,teanng eleu ment entering into the fold at that point.

By referring to Figure 3 it will thenbe observed, that the only bend occurrierllg in the tearing strip will be along the dott line=of the layer 6 which is the outside top edge of, go the package and causing at'that point. the

' fold in the tearing strip to take place at itsnarrow-most point.

This character of fold of the ackage simpler and neater,

:5 In t e drawings the package is shown-containing cigarettes40, the overlapping ends of the wrapper being scaled down y means of a revenue stamp, but it is to be understood that the invention may be a plied to a great.

variety of containers used fdr various other purposes.

f To open the package it is only necessary to grasp the tearin str1p by its tongue portion 27 and apply su cient traction thereto first to 85. break away a portion of the seal 22 and then tear away the corner portion of the wrapper along the perforated hne made up by the per-. forations 15, 16 and.17 thus exposing a portion of the contents as shown in Fig. 2.

. Claims:

1. In a carton opener, a container having a fragile closure portion, afragile seal, and a tearing strip provided with a body, portion and a lateral extension between its ends which underliessaid seal to rupture the latter when said strip is operated to open the carton, there being. a row of perforations through the wall of the container-between said seal and the body portion of said tearing strip. a

p 2. In a carton opener, a container having a wrapper with overlapping ends, a seal adhered to said wrapper and extending across said overlapping ends, and a tearing strip adhered to said wrapper adjacent to said seal,

said tearing strip overlying-one and underlying the other of said overlapping ends and having a lateral extension which underlies said seal to rupture it when traction is applied to said tearing strip to open the container.

3. In a carton opener, a container having a wrapper with overlapping ends, a seal adhered to said .wrapper and extending across ,65 said overlapping ends, and a tearing strip makes the forming along the fle x'ure to said wrapper adjacent to said seal,

said, tearin strip overlyin one and underlying the ot er of said over ap ing ends and having a body portion andja ateral exten' sion which underlies said seal to rupture it when traction is a plied to said tearingstiip to o n-the container, there being alrow of per orations through the overlapping and portions of said wrapper between sai seal and the body portion of said wrapper."

4. In a carton opener, a container having a wrap or with, overlappin ends, a 'seal adhere to said wrapperan extending across attached to sai wrapper adjacent to said seal, said tearing strip, having a lateral extension which underlies said seal and one of said overlapping ends and which overlies the other of sai overla ping ends, there being a space between saicf seal and the body portion of said tearing strip, the wrapper bein weakened along a line to be torn which is. ocated between said seal and the'body portion of said tearing strip.

5., A package having therearound a-wrapr having overlappin end ortions at an end of the package an at suc end a corner area bordered by a perforated line which extends through substantially a right angle in the folded package, and a tearing strip which at one end is free fromthe package and at its other end is adhered thereto and has an enlargement which is located within and adjacent to the an 1e of said perforated line.

6. A package aving therearound a wrapper having overlapping end ortions at an end of the package and at suc end a corner area bordered by a perforated line which extends through substantiallya right angle in the folded package, and a tearing stri which at one end is free from the package an at its other end is adhered thereto and has an enlargement which is located within and adjacent to the angle of said perforated line, whereby to direct properly the line of cleavage where the turn thereof takes place at the corner of the packa I 7 A package hahng therearound a wrapper having overlappin end ortions at an end of the package an at suc end a cornerarea bordered by a perforated line-which extends through substantially a right angle in the folded package, and a tearing strip which atone end 1s free from the packa e and at its other end is adhered thereto an has an enlargement which is located within and adacent to the angle of said perforated line, said enlargement having a beveled edge. portion which forms in conjunction with a side. edge of said tearing strip an obtuse angle substantially as deslred.

EDWIN HALE DRYER. 

